Wanda Barton
by Stand with Ward and Queen
Summary: On a mission to Sokovia, Clint discovers a young girl in danger. Saving her life, Clint is left with no option but to take her from Sokovia. Clint would have no idea what this one action would set in motion years down the line and the danger it would bring.
1. A witch

**So, what prompted this? Basically, I love the almost father/daughter dynamic between Clint and Wanda in the movies. I was sad we'd probably never get to see it again, as Endgame will probably be Hawkeye's final appearance in the MCU. Before I knew it, I had this halfway planed.**

**This story will largely be an MCU fic, but it will incorporate some elements of the X-Men universe. One in which becomes very clear in this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it and tell me if you think I should continue or not.**

Sokovia, 2006

Night

Clint Barton was on his way back to the rendezvous point to meet up with his partner, Natasha Romanoff, after a successful mission. Another mission, another scumbag put in the ground. Clint was just looking forward to getting some shut eye on the journey home when a shout drew his attention. Clint quickly raced towards the sound and stared, horror and rage welling up within him.

A young girl, not even in her teens, was on the ground, in a ball as three men surrounded her, kicking her violently. As the girl let out cries of pain, Clint was reminded of his newborn son Cooper back home. Clenching his hands into fists, Clint walked onto the scene.

"So it takes three men to beat a little girl?" Clint demanded and the three men stopped, looking over their shoulders at him.

"Stay out of this stranger. This does not concern you," one of them said in accented English.

"It became my concern when three grown men decided to beat a little girl," Clint said as he approached them. "Walk away and no one has to get hurt."

"She is a witch! We will exterminate her!" another of them snarled, pulling out a gun and taking aim at Clint. "If you interfere, we will do the same to you!"

"If that's the way you want it," Clint said evenly, clearly not backing down.

The man fired but Clint dodged the bullet. Ducking, Clint sent a kick to the man's knees, knocking him off his feet. The man lost his grip on the gun and it went flying into the air. Clint caught it and fired, getting one of the men in the chest. As the other rushed him, Clint elbowed the man in the face, sending him down. As they stood up, Clint saw other men crawling out of the shadows, some of them wielding weapons like metal pipes of wooden clubs.

"Really? All this over a kid?" Clint asked his tone of mix of incredulity and disgust.

"She's a witch," one of the men who Clint had first come upon said. "She will die. And unless you walk away, so will you."

Suddenly, the girl let out a terrified wail and something happened. Red energy seemed to burst out of her, destroying the walls of the buildings it touched. The weapons the men were holding were completely destroyed as they and Clint were all thrown back. Several of them hit their heads on the sides of buildings, getting knocked out. Those that didn't jumped up and ran for their lives.

Clint landed on his side, grimacing in pain as the girl retreated into the corner of the alley. She curled up into a ball, obviously terrified as she cried. Clint stared at her for a moment as he understood. This girl had powers somehow and the Sokovians were scared. And her fear was making it difficult for her to control her powers. Grunting, Clint pulled himself to his feet and cautiously began making his way over to her. She looked up at him, terrified, as he held up his hands.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, okay?" Clint said as he knelt down to her level, so she could see his eyes. "I'm Clint. What's your name?"

"Wanda," she said softly in heavily accented English, her eyes red from crying.

"Where are your parents?" Clint asked gently.

"Mama and daddy gone. Pietro run fast, don't know where," Wanda said, trying to make him understand.

It was clear that her English was still a little choppy and Clint didn't know much Sokovian. From what he could understand, her parents were dead and Pietro, a relative, had either left her or gotten separated from her. Either way, she was alone in a country that was terrified by her and her powers. Clint was under no illusions that if he left her here, she wouldn't last a week.

So, Clint came to a decision. It was a decision that he might regret later on, but right now, in that moment, he couldn't do anything else.

"How'd you like to come with me?" Clint asked and she looked up at him. "I can get you somewhere safe; somewhere these people won't hurt you anymore. What do you say?"

Clint held out a hand, hoping she'd take it so he could get her out of here. After a moment, Wanda cautiously reached out and took his hand.

"Safe," Wanda said slowly.

"That's right, let's get you somewhere safe," Clint said relieved as he wondered how he was going to explain this one to Nat and Fury.


	2. Return to SHIELD

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited so far. This chapter isn't very long, but I hope you enjoy it.**

**GIJose: I explained in the AN last chapter how Wanda has powers. I do not at this time plan to have Wanda paired up with anyone. **

Quinjet

Early morning

Clint put a blanket on Wanda, who was asleep in one of the back seats of the jet. In stark contrast to the fearful looks she had worn while awake, now she looked completely peaceful. If it weren't for the bruises that marred her face, she would have looked just like a regular kid. Clint watched her for a moment before turning and walking up front. He sat down in the co-pilot seat next to Natasha, waiting.

"Just say it Nat," Clint said after a moment of silence.

"Fury won't be happy about this," Natasha said, the faint Russian accent that was still there even after three years in America making her voice sound clipped.

"What was I supposed to do Nat, leave her there to die?" Clint demanded.

"It's not just that she's Sokovian Clint, although that's definitely part of it. She has powers. Fury will either see her as dangerous or an asset," Natasha pointed out.

"She's a kid, not a spy," Clint almost growled and Natasha looked at him in understanding.

"I know. Better than anyone, I know," Natasha said and Clint softened as he remembered her past. "It's not me you need to tell that to."

"Well, if worst comes to worse, you hit Fury over the head, I'll grab Wanda and we run like hell," Clint said, only half joking and Natasha smiled thinly.

"Don't get too attached to her Clint," Natasha warned him before turning back to the controls.

Clint was silent the rest of the flight as he became lost in his own thoughts. The moment he'd decided to take Wanda with him, he'd been acting on instinct and emotion, not thinking that far ahead. Now that things had calmed down, he realized the rather complicated situation he had found himself in.

Wanda was, according to her, an orphan. And one from another country at that. What Clint had done basically qualified as kidnapping. And what life would she have here in America? Put on the Index? Monitored like a criminal or caged animal? Had Clint saved her from one dangerous environment only to bring her into another?

These were the thoughts that tormented Clint over the next few hours as they returned to base. Not long before they touched down, Clint stood up and walked back to where Wanda was sleeping. He gently shook her awake and Wanda woke with a start, looking around as if she was going to be attacked at any moment. It broke Clint's heart that being attacked was probably a common occurrence for Wanda.

"Hey, it's okay, you're safe," Clint said softly as he knelt down in front of her. "We're gonna be landing soon. Just stick close to me, okay?"

Wanda looked frightened but nodded. Clint felt a little guilty that he was bringing her into this strange new place but damn it, it was the only call he could make.

A few minutes later, the Quinjet landed in the hanger of the Triskelion. The ramp lowered and agents stopped and stared as Natasha and Clint got out, Clint holding Wanda's hand as she seemed to try and make herself smaller by pressing herself into Clint's side.

"Barton, Romanoff, what is going on?" Maria Hill demanded in shock.

"I think it's best we talk to Fury," Clint said as he glanced down at Wanda, terrified by all the shocked agents staring at her.

Barton farm

Not long after

Laura Barton was changing her son, Cooper, when her phone buzzed. After he was successfully changed, she checked her phone and saw it was a text message from her husband.

'Back at HQ. Might not be home for a few days, mission had complication. Call you soon'.

Laura frowned before pocketing her phone.

"Your daddy is a complicated man to be married to," Laura told Cooper, who only cooed up at her.

Triskelion

Not long after

"So let me get this straight, you brought back an enhanced individual who has powers with no idea how she got them because she was being attacked by a mob?" Fury asked incredulously as he stared at Clint and Natasha. "You're either stupid or reckless Barton, two words I normally don't use with you."

"What was I supposed to do, just leave her there to die?" Clint defended himself.

"She might be dangerous Barton," Fury said in frustration.

"I'm dangerous. She's just a kid, a scared kid," Natasha backed Clint.

"From what you've told me, her fear is what makes her so dangerous," Fury said with a scowl. "Her powers seem to respond to her emotions. What do you know about her?"

"She says her parents are gone, probably dead. She mentioned someone named Pietro, might be a relative, that ran really fast. After that, nothing due to the language barrier," Clint said and Fury stared at him incredulous.

"Yep, you're definitely stupid Barton. I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this…but I think I know someone who might be able to help us figure out a bit more. Someone who owes me a favor," Fury said.

New York City

Not long after

In a rather spacious mansion, a bald man in a wheelchair was at a desk, seeming to go over some papers when his phone on the desk rang. He picked it up.

"Xavier's school for the gifted, this is Charles Xavier speaking," Charles answered.

"Long time Chuck," Fury said and Charles smiled dryly.

"Indeed it has Nick. You're not one for social calls, so how may I help you?" Charles inquired.

"One of my agents has created a rather…delicate situation. I'd like your assistance on it. Consider it a favor to me. How soon can you get to Washington?" Fury inquired.


	3. The X-Men

**This chapter contains what some might consider X-Men bashing. It isn't, but I think someone like Clint would interpret the school this way.**

**Hope you guys enjoy the chapter.**

The Triskelion

Midafternoon

Fury, Maria, and Agent Phil Coulson stood in the hanger as a sleek black jet landed. The ramp lowered and Xavier was wheeled down by a man with dark hair wearing red tinted sunglasses. Behind them came a wild looking man with almost feral hair and a dark skinned woman with stark white hair.

"Chuck, good to see you," Fury said as they all met.

"It's good to see as well my friend, it has been too long," Xavier said genuinely. "These are some of my students, Scott Summers, Logan, and Ororo Munroe. This is Nick Fury, an old friend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Fury," Ororo said gracefully.

Scott nodded politely while Logan simply grunted. Coulson felt that Logan looked vaguely familiar but now wasn't the time.

"Thank you for coming all this way. This is Maria Hill, my Deputy Director, and Agent Phil Coulson," Fury said, gesturing behind him.

"Nice to meet you," Coulson said, holding a hand out and Xavier shook it.

"You as well Agent Coulson. But I have a feeling we did not come all this way to exchange introductions," Xavier said, glancing over at Fury.

"You're right. The situation is…complicated," Fury sighed.

In another room that acted as a sort of apartment, Clint set down a plate of food in front of Wanda at a table. Wanda eyed it uncertainly before looking up at Clint.

"It's grilled cheese. Just try it, you'll love it," Clint gently coaxed her.

Hesitantly, Wanda picked up the sandwich and lifted it to her mouth. She took a bite and her face broke out into a smile as she then proceeded to eat. Clint smiled, happy that, at least, he could give her a decent meal as Natasha walked over, a tablet in hand.

"You sure you're not being paranoid?" Natasha asked lowly.

"Depends on what you found," Clint said quietly so Wanda couldn't hear as she ate.

"Well, Fury went to a lot of trouble to keep his files on Xavier and his school hidden," Natasha said as she swiped her finger across the tablet. "For the most part, it's just a school, designed to help enhanced individuals learn how to control their powers."

"And the other part?" Clint asked, knowing Natasha was stalling.

"Clint is this about making sure she's safe or are you looking for an excuse to keep her close?" Natasha wanted to know.

"I just want to make sure we're didn't take her from one dangerous situation only to drop her in another," Clint said honestly.

Natasha eyed him, having a feeling Clint was already too attached to Wanda to let her go. But, she still handed him the tablet. Clint looked down at it and frowned. He did not like what he saw.

"So, this girl has powers. You think she may be like us?" Xavier as Fury led them to the room where Wanda was.

"I don't know, but her emotions are making it difficult for her to control them. We can't communicate that well because there's a language barrier. I was hoping you could help with that," Fury explained.

"I will try but I can make no promises. The mind is such a complex thing and traumatic memories only make it worse," Xavier warned him.

They stopped outside the room and Fury turned to the others.

"The girl is fragile. She's with the agent who found her and his partner because they seem to be the only people she's comfortable around. I think Chuck and I should be the only ones to go in," Fury told them.

"Of course, we would not wish to overwhelm her," Ororo said in understanding.

With that said, Xavier and Fury entered the room. Wanda had finished up her sandwich as Clint handed Natasha the tablet back.

"Chuck, this is Agent Clint Barton and Agent Natasha Romanoff. This is Charles Xavier," Fury did the introductions.

"Pleasure to meet you both," Xavier said with a polite smile.

"You as well Mr. Xavier," Natasha said and Xavier did not need to be a telepath to know Natasha was weary of him.

"Please Agent Romanoff, call me Charles," Xavier said politely before turning to lint. "Agent Barton. I hear you're the one who found…Wanda is it?"

Clint nodded with a blank expression on his face. Without meaning to, Xavier got a flash of his thoughts, which were a whirl of distrust for Xavier and protectiveness over Wanda. Given that he worked for Fury, Xavier wasn't surprised. Xavier glanced over at Wanda, who seemed to be trying to make herself smaller in her chair, eying Xavier uncertainly.

"Hello. I'm Charles," Xavier said slowly and gently, trying not to frighten her.

"Okay. So what's the plan here?" Clint demanded, stepping protectively in front of Wanda.

"Chuck is a telepath. He thinks he can find out what happened to Wanda and how she got her powers," Fury explained.

"And how is he going to do that?" Natasha inquired.

"By entering her mind," Xavier said and he could that Clint was far from pleased with the idea.

"Barton, Charles is the best there is. I trust him. And you know that's not something I do lightly," Fury said and, after a moment, Clint gave a jerky nod.

"Fine. But if she ends up a vegetable, there is no place on this earth you can go that I won't find you," Clint said darkly and Xavier nodded.

"I understand Agent Barton. If you could try to calm her. This will be easier if she is calm and she seems to trust you," Xavier said and Clint nodded.

"Hey," Clint down in the chair next to Wanda and she looked over at him. "Everything's gonna be okay. Try and relax, okay?"

Clint reached over and took her hand in his much larger one and the contact seemed to ease her anxiety and fear. Sensing the calm from her mind, Xavier closed his eyes as he entered her mind. Immediately, he was assaulted with a barrage of images.

_Wanda was sitting down at a table with a young boy around her age and a man and a woman, obviously their parents. They were eating dinner when suddenly the building was rocked._

_The next few images were hazy, difficult for Xavier to piece together through Wanda's traumatized memories. But he saw two dead bodies, who he quickly realized were Wanda's parents. The boy holding Wanda down protectively. Finally, he saw a shell with a name on it, Stark Industries._

_The next image was a bit clearer. Wanda and the boy, their clothes raged and the two looking like they hadn't had a good meal in a while, were running down the street as a man chased them. Suddenly, something strange happened. The boy's hair turned from dark to a bright silver as he ran ahead at a speed that humanly impossible, leaving Wanda behind. Wanda looked around, calling 'Pietro' out but the boy was gone. Tears streamed down her cheeks as the man caught up to her. She wailed as red energy burst out of her, throwing the man back and destroying some nearby stands. _

Xavier opened his eyes to see Wanda looking at him curiously, as though she knew what he did.

"Nick, Agent Barton, I would like to speak with you outside for a moment," Xavier requested.

Clint nodded before turning to Wanda.

"Hey, I'll be right back, okay? Nat'll be here to keep you company," Clint said, gesturing over to Natasha.

Wanda's grip on his hand tightened considerably for a moment before she let him go. Clint stood up and walked out after Fury and Xavier, Wanda watching him as though afraid he wouldn't come back.

"So, is she a mutant?" Scott asked as they exited the room.

"I would need a sample of her blood to be sure, but I believe so," Xavier said with a frown. "But what I saw in her mind…concerns me."

"What did you see?" Fury asked.

"Her parents were killed when a shell hit their home. I saw another shell with the words 'Stark Industries' written on it," Xavier said to their shock.

"Stark may be an irresponsible jackass, but I don't think he'd ever sell his weapons to people who would bomb civilians," Fury noted.

"Do you watch the news? The guy is more interested in acting like he's in college then where his weapons go," Hill argued.

"Either way, I think it's time we take a closer look at the company," Fury decided.

"Good idea bub," Logan said gruffly.

"Wanda mentioned a Pietro that ran really fast," Clint said as he looked over at Xavier.

"Her brother. They were running from someone when his powers, the ability to run at the speed of sound, were triggered and they were separated. This triggered her powers as well," Xavier explained.

"Well, that was at least a week ago. We had one of our doctors examine Wanda, she has injuries that are at least a week old and the way she acts around everyone but Clint and Natasha says a lot about what she's been through," Coulson noted sadly.

"Well, she's yours I guess," Fury told Xavier and Clint started.

"Really, just like that? You're gonna hand her over like she's some sort of property?" Clint asked incredulously.

"Honestly Barton, what do you want? You wanted her out of danger, well she's out. Chuck's school is the best place for her," Fury said exasperated.

"Right, growing up with Danger Room sessions and looking up at the X-Men as heroes," Clint said to everyone's shock. "You should update your firewalls Fury. It took Nat ten minutes to get those files."

"Do you have a problem with mutants bub?" Logan demanded.

"I've got a problem with indoctrination. You've got it going pretty good at your school Xavier. Bringing in impressionable kids, teaching them how to control their powers while telling them how heroic the X-Men are. Then, when they grow up, you've got your soldiers for your war for mutant equality. It's rather ingenious," Clint sneered.

"That's not what it is," Scott snapped and Clint laughed humorlessly.

"Right and I'm Tony Stark," Clint said sarcastically.

"Is this about my school or about your attachment to Wanda?" Xavier asked coolly.

"Is this about Wanda or you and your X-Men?!" Clint snarled.

"Both of you shut the hell up!" Fury snapped and everyone was quiet. "Now, arguing isn't going to solve anything. Because this isn't about any of us or our egos. This is about that girl in there. So let's try and come up with a solution."

"Look," Clint said after taking a few moments to calm down. "Regardless of how I feel about your school and what you do there, sending Wanda to this strange place filled with strangers with powers like her isn't best for her. Her powers react to her emotions and if she gets loses control, well, you have all your other students to think about. Wanda can't control her powers right now and she's delicate and scared. She has nothing right now, she's in this strange place and the only she trusts are me and Nat."

"You might be right Agent Barton," Xavier said after considering his words. "What would you suggest?"

"I don't know. I just want to make sure I didn't take her out of Sokovia for nothing," Clint said firmly.

"I think I have a solution that we can all get behind," Coulson said and they all looked over at him. "Maybe, every few weeks, you could send a teacher from your school out, sort of like a tutor, and have them help Wanda with her powers. Ease her into it until she's old enough to understand and make the choice for herself."

"And where would she stay until then? She can't stay here, it's no place for a kid," Hill pointed out.

Clint thought of home. Of the farm with his wife and son. It was a perfect place to make Wanda more comfortable and help ease her in. It was a temporary solution, but it was all he had right now.

"That's a good idea Agent Barton," Xavier said and Clint started. "I didn't read your mind. You simply broadcast your thoughts loudly. Do not worry; your secret is safe with me."

Clint glanced over at Fury, tensed, and Fury nodded. Well, if Fury trusted him, that was good enough for him.

"Professor, what are you talking about?" Scott asked confused.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about Shades," Clint said and Scott growled. "I have a call to make."

**When you honestly think about it, some of what the X-Men do can be considered indoctrination by some. Not intentional or anything, but some people could interpret it that way.**


	4. Meeting Laura

**This is mostly a transitional chapter to cover Wanda first meeting Laura, but next chapter will have some more developments.**

**I'm not very good at writing child characters, but I tried my best with Wanda.**

**Green Hal37: Yes, they are.**

**Well, Wanda isn't going to The Avengers; she's going to Clint and his family.**

**He really is. Which is a shame, because Hawkeye is awesome. **

Barton Farm

Afternoon

"You want to bring in a girl you know nothing about with powers into our home?" Laura asked as she talked to her husband on the phone, thinking he had finally lost it. "Nat hit you too hard during training, didn't she?"

"She's a kid Laura, a scared kid. You know I would never put you or our son in any kind of danger. If I thought for one second she was a threat to you or Cooper, I wouldn't even consider bringing her home. She's all alone Laura. If it were Cooper in her position, wouldn't you want someone to help him?" Clint said and Laura sighed.

"Pulling the Cooper Card, low blow," Laura grumbled. "I guess I'll have to set up the guest room."

The Triskelion

Same time

"Thank you, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you," Clint said as he hung up.

"So, how'd she take it?" Fury asked as he seemed to pop up around the corner.

"Better than I expected," Clint admitted as he turned around to face Fury. "But she agreed to let Wanda sleep in the guest room for now."

"You sure about this Clint?" Fury asked uncertainly after a moment. "I went to a lot of trouble making sure your family was off the grid. I'd hate for it to be for nothing."

"She's a kid, not a spy. You friend looked through her head to confirm that. But that does remind me of something I wanted to talk to you about," Clint said and Fury raised an eyebrow. "Wanda stays off The Index."

"You know it's our policy to add any powered individual to The Index," Fury pointed out.

"And usually, I have no problem with it. But Wanda is not a threat that needs monitoring, she's a kid. I have done everything you've ever asked of me and I've only asked for you to keep my family safe. Well, now I'm asking you to keep Wanda off The Index," Clint said and it was silent as they stared down, having a brief battle of wills.

"She stays off The Index…for now," Fury relented finally.

Clint nodded, knowing this wasn't over but taking the small victory while he could. Clint pocketed his phone and walked off. He reentered the room Wanda was in, seeing that she was staring into space. Looking over at Natasha, his partner shrugged helplessly at him. Sighing, Clint walked over and sat down next to Wanda, bringing her attention to him.

"Listen Wanda, this place, it's no place for a kid. So, I was thinking that maybe you could come stay with me and my family for a while until we figure out something a bit more permanent for you. What do you say?" Clint asked gently, knowing he couldn't push Wanda.

Wanda was quiet for a moment before nodding. Clint took her hand as he looked over at Natasha. Clint hoped that Laura could help him with her. Because he had a feeling this would be the most difficult challenge of his lie.

Barton Farm, next day

Morning

Early next morning, Clint had taken a Quinjet and flown to the SHIELD base nearest to his home. Once there, he had taken a car to his house. And so, he pulled up in his driveway. Turning off the car, he glanced over at Wanda, seeing she looked fearful.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Clint asked gently.

"What if they no like me?" Wanda asked, her English still choppy.

"Let them get to know you. You'll never know if you don't try. And even if they don't, I'll still like you," Clint told her, getting a smile out of the young girl. "Now come on, let's head inside."

Clint got out of the car and then walked around to the other side, helping Wanda out. Wanda looked up at the farm, nerves filling her. What if they don't like her even after getting to know her? Where will she go then? But Clint's hand on her shoulder helped quell her nerves a bit. Clint led Wanda onto the porch and into the house. Wanda looked around at the house; it reminded her of her home before her parents had died. Homey but less rundown than her parents' home in Sokovia.

"Honey, I'm home," Clint called out.

"We're in the kitchen," Laura's voice answered him.

Wanda gulped but followed Clint into the kitchen. Laura was at the stove, making pancakes as six month old Cooper was in his high chair. As soon as he saw his father, Cooper let out a happy squeal, reaching for his father.

"Hey little guy, how are you doing?" Clint said, walking over and picking up his son. "You get bigger every time I see you."

"He's a growing boy Hawkeye," Laura said good naturedly as she turned to her house guest.

Laura's heart went out to the girl as she saw Wanda freeze when Laura looked. She saw the bruises, still visible on Wanda's face, and felt anger at whoever had harmed this girl for being different.

"Hi, I'm Laura," Laura said, giving Wanda a kind smile as she walked over, kneeling down to Wanda's level. "You're Wanda, right?"

Shyly, Wanda nodded. Laura didn't seem to outright despise her, but Wanda was still nervous and afraid of being cast out, alone in this strange place now that she'd left Sokovia.

"It's nice to meet you. How old are you?" Laura asked in a voice that reminded Wanda of her mother.

Shyly, Wanda held up all ten of her fingers, not sure of the English word for the number.

"Ten years old huh?" Laura said softly, her heart breaking for what Wanda had gone through at only ten years of life. "Well, do you want pancakes? I made plenty."

Wanda uncertainly looked over at Clint, who nodded to let her know it was okay.

"Yes," Wanda said, using her voice for the first time.

As Wanda sat at the table that morning, she watched as Clint and Laura exchanged banter laced with love as Cooper let out grunts and squeals, demanding his parents' attention. It reminded her of before her world had come crashing down a few months ago, of home. And it made her miss her brother even more and wonder what had happened to him.

Unspecified location

Same time

A young, silver haired boy slept on a bed as, in the corner, an old man watched him. The door to the room opened and a woman with blue scales on her skin walked over to him.

"Still no sign of his sister," she said and the man nodded.

"We will keep looking. I will have both my children with me. And then, the humans will pay," Magneto vowed darkly.

**For those of you who don't watch Agents of SHIELD, The Index is a list of all powered/enhanced individuals SHIELD keeps that acts as a watch list. **

**Yes, Magneto has Pietro, buy don't expect him or Pietro to come back into the story anytime soon. **


	5. The teacher

**Green Hal37: At the moment, undetermined. It will be a source of conflict between Clint and Fury for a bit. **

**Well, without it, the X-Men franchise would be rather boring.**

A few days had passed since Clint had brought Wanda to the farm. They had passed without incident for the most part, Wanda was still too quiet for their tastes but they were working on that. Laura had given her some old clothes that had been hers as a child for now but they knew Wanda needed clothes of her own. Laura was planning on taking Wanda shopping later on to get the girl some clothes.

Currently, Clint and Wanda were sitting on a picnic table several miles from the farm. Wanda fidgeted, nervous and Clint put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay, relax. Everything's gonna be fine," Clint said, hoping he wasn't lying to her.

A car pulled up on the side of the road and Clint tensed, knowing this was it. The door opened and Ororo got out. She closed the door and began making her way over to them.

"Mr. Barton, wonderful to see you again," Ororo greeted him politely.

"Ororo, right?" Clint asked as he got to his feet and she nodded as they shook hands. "From Fury's files on you guys, I expected Jean Grey."

"The Professor thought you would take more kindly to someone who wasn't a telepath. He also thought I was better suited to help Wanda," Ororo explained.

Clint nodded, conceding to her point as they dropped hands. Ororo looked over at Wanda, who was eying the unfamiliar woman like she was a threat. From what she knew about Wanda's life, Ororo understood why and felt great empathy for the young girl.

"Hello Wanda. I am Ororo Monroe, I'm a friend of Charles Xavier's," Ororo said as she approached the young girl.

Wanda glanced over at Clint but he flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I hear you have a gift," Ororo said as she sat down next to Wanda on the picnic table.

"Not gift. It make people afraid of me," Wanda said as she looked down at her hands.

Ororo followed her gaze to see her hands were covered with red energy. Remembering what Fury had said about her powers, Ororo knew she needed to keep the young girl calm.

"People fear what they do not understand. I am like you Wanda, I have a gift to," Ororo said gently and Wanda looked up at her curiously. "Would you like to see?"

After a moment, Wanda nodded uncertainly. Ororo looked up at the sky, which was clear as, well, day, no clouds in sight. Her eyes flashed pure white as, to Clint and Wanda's shock, the sky was suddenly overcome by dark clouds. Powerful wind blew through the air as they heard thunder. Then, Ororo's eyes returned to normal as the clouds faded away, the weather once again sunny and calm.

"I can control the weather," Ororo told Wanda.

"Are people afraid of you to?" Wanda asked softly.

"Some of them," Ororo admitted. "Some think I am a goddess. Wanda, your gift is not something to be feared. If you fear it, you give it power over you. Then, instead of you learning to control it, it will control you."

"What if I not control it?" Wanda asked softly, looking down at her hands, which were in her lap.

"That's why I'm here Wanda. To help you control it," Ororo said gently.

Barton Farm

Late morning

Laura had finished putting away the dishes as Cooper cooed from his highchair when they heard the sound of the front door open and close. Taking Cooper out of his chair, she walked into the living room to see Clint and Wanda had returned.

"So how'd it go?" Laura asked, balancing Cooper in her arms.

"I think it went okay, right kiddo?" Clint said as he turned to Wanda.

Wanda shrugged, clearly deep in thought.

"Well, I was thinking of heading into town today if you wouldn't mind watching Cooper," Laura said, holding her squirming son out to his father.

"I think I can handle it, right little man?" Clint said as he took his son.

"Wanda," the girl started at her name as Laura looked over at her. "How would you feel about coming with me so we can get you some clothes?"

Wanda felt fear course through her. Laura seemed nice enough but she hadn't been alone with her save for a few moments her and there since her arrival. What if Laura decided she didn't like her and Clint sent her away? But the way Laura was looking at her reminded her of her mama, so Wanda finally nodded shyly.

"Good. Go wash up, we'll leave in a few minutes," Laura told her gently.

Wanda nodded, going to the bathroom to get the dirt off her hands and face. Once she was gone, Laura looked over at her husband.

"So how'd it really go?" Laura asked.

"It went okay I guess. There was a lot of talk about fear and Ororo showed Wanda her powers before making Wanda lift some rocks with her mind. I think she's trying to ease Wanda into being comfortable with her powers," Clint mused. "But, on the bright side, Wanda doesn't seem afraid of her powers anymore. More afraid that she can't control them. So, that's progress."

Laura nodded, relieved as Wanda reentered the room, her face and hands now clean. Laura grabbed the keys from Clint and held her hand out to Wanda. Wanda hesitantly took it and they were off, Wanda nervously glancing back at Clint before they were out the door.

Missouri

Afternoon

Laura led Wanda into the girl's section of the clothing store they were at. Wanda grimaced distastefully at so much pink. Laura, seeing her face, almost laughed. Wanda reminded her so much of Clint in that moment.

"You can get whatever you want Wanda. Pick something out," Laura told the girl gently.

Wanda looked up at her before walking over to the racks of clothes. She looks for something besides pink and stopped as she saw a red shirt that reminded her of one her mama had made for her a few years ago. She picked it off the rack, looking at it for a few moments. This would do, Wanda decided.

As she saw Wanda pick out some other clothes, Laura smiled. It was nice to see Wanda act like a regular child, if only for a minute.

Later, the two of them stopped at a Burger King for some food. Wanda had picked out some red shirts and skirts and a few jeans. Evidently, Wanda liked red.

Wanda was currently eating a kid's burger from her meal as Laura quietly took a drink. The girl was growing more comfortable with her, which was why she and Clint had decided he would stay home with Cooper in the first place. But still, Laura could tell she was putting distance between herself and Laura in a way she didn't with Clint. Laura just wished she knew how to break down the wall Wanda was putting up between them.

Barton Farm

Same time

"So how are things at work?" Clint asked as he spoke on the phone with Natasha after putting Cooper down for a nap.

"Pretty quiet actually. Fury doesn't have any missions for me right now, so I'm just relaxing," Natasha said and Clint snickered. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I just can't picture you lounging around," Clint admitted and Natasha was silent. "By relaxing, you mean training, don't you?"

"You know me so well," Natasha quipped and Clint chuckled. "So how are things going with Wanda?"

"Well, she had her first 'tutoring session' with that Ororo woman today," Clint said and Natasha was interested. "She doesn't seem afraid of her powers anymore, so that's progress."

"Fury wasn't pleased you had him keep Wanda off The Index," Natasha said after a moment.

"Well, Fury will have to deal with it," Clint said an edge entering his voice. "I'm not letting him put Wanda on a watch list just because he's paranoid."

"I agree with you but…have you thought long term about this? She stays there for now, but do you really expect to keep her there forever? I know that you're trying to protect her Clint…but have you thought about her future?" Natasha said gently and Clint was silent. "Maybe Fury is right. Maybe the best place for her is that school."

"So she can grow up to be a soldier in Xavier's war? No, I won't have that. I admit that I still have a lot to figure out, but the best place for Wanda is not at that school," Clint said fiercely.

"Okay," Natasha said, seeing he wouldn't budge. "Just…be careful Clint. Don't get too attached to her. I'll see you soon."

They ended the call and Clint sighed, wondering if Natasha was right, about Xavier's school and about him being too attached to Wanda.

**I know a lot of you wanted Jean as Wanda's teacher, but I thought Ororo was better suited to help Wanda. She can relate to Wanda's experiences and her fears better than Jean could. Plus, Clint, who would be present for the first several sessions, would not take kindly to another telepath, something Charles would pick up on. **


	6. Clint and Laura's decision

**Sorry that its bee a while and that I'm returning with a rather short chapter, but next chapter will be a lot longer and we'll finally get some action next chapter. For now, I hope you enjoy this. **

**Green Hal37: Glad you liked that.**

Missouri

Afternoon

Clint sat on a bench as he watched Ororo observe Wanda as she used her powers. Wanda was using her powers to lift some rocks into the air, whirling them in a circle. Concentration would help Wanda grow more comfortable using her powers, which would make it easier for her to control them, Ororo had told him.

This was Wanda's third session with Ororo; it had been a month since Wanda had come to stay with them. Clint had to give it to Xavier; he made the right choice sending Ororo. She was good with Wanda, able to help Wanda more than he would have been able to. Wanda was certainly comfortable with her, and Clint could almost say he trusted her.

But that didn't mean he trusted Xavier. Not by a long shot.

"Very good Wanda," Ororo said as Wanda was able to perfectly lower the rocks to the ground in a perfect circle. "We'll pick this up in a few weeks, okay?"

Wanda nodded as Ororo walked towards Clint. Clint got to his feet, knowing she wanted to give him Wanda's progress report.

"She's better, less fearful. Makes it easier for her to control her abilities. You were right to bring her here, it has been good for her," Ororo noted.

"I told you," Clint said a hint of smugness in his voice.

"But I worry that she may be growing too attached to you," Ororo glanced over her shoulder at Wanda, who was watching a few deer a few feet away. "She is a child. She needs stability. I know you do not trust the professor, but if you want what's best for her…you need to choose."

"Choose what?" Clint asked wearily, sure she was about to give him a pitch about how Xavier's school was the best place for her.

"Whether you want this arrangement you have with Wanda to be permanent. I can see that you care for her very much, as she does for you. The question is, how much do you care?"

Barton Farm

Night

That night, Laura checked in on Wanda after putting Cooper down, finding the girl was peacefully asleep in her bed. Laura smiled before gently closing the door. Walking down the stairs, she saw her husband sitting on the couch, staring at the television without really seeing it. Clint had been unusually quiet ever since he and Wanda had returned from meeting Ororo; even Wanda had picked up on it.

"So, what's going on Hawkeye?" Laura asked as she sat down next to him. "What's going through that head of yours?"

"Ororo said something to me today about Wanda. That she needs stability and having her here, when we might shift her off to who knows where, isn't very stable," Clint said, the thought having been weighing on him all day.

"She's got a point," Laura noted and Clint nodded silently. "So what do you want to do about it?"

"What would you think about Wanda staying here with us? I mean on a more permanent basis?" Clint asked, looking over at his wife to gage her reaction.

It was a fair question, Laura mused. She had been understandably weary of Wanda once the child had arrived and hadn't been sure of what to think of her afterwards, as she seemed so jittery, like an animal about to be attacked. Then, that night two weeks ago that had changed everything.

_Barton Farm, two weeks earlier_

_Night_

_Everyone else had gone to bed after Cooper had been put down for the night. Clint and Laura counted their stars that Cooper was such an easy baby, it wouldn't have done well for Wanda to be sleep deprived on top of everything else she had gone through. _

_Laura was currently walking up the stairs after getting a drink from the kitchen when she heard some whimpering. At first, she thought it was Cooper, who had awakened during the night. Then she heard words spoken in a soft voice in a foreign language and realized it was Wanda._

_Concerned, Laura walked over to Wanda's room and opened the door. Wanda was crying softly, thrashing around her bed in the midst of a nightmare. Her motherly instincts kicking in, Laura walked over to her and gently tried to shake her awake._

"_Wanda? Wanda honey, wake up," Laura said gently._

_Wanda cried out and Laura found herself thrown across the room. Laura hit the wall and this caused Wanda to wake up. As Laura looked up, Wanda had a terrified look in her eyes as she realized what had happened._

"_I sorry, didn't mean to. Please no send me away!" Wanda exclaimed terrified._

"_Wanda, it's okay, it was an accident," Laura said gently as she pulled herself to her feet, unhurt besides a sore back. "Is that why you've been afraid, you think we'd send you away if you acted out or did something we didn't like?"_

_Wanda tensed the answer clear on her face. Laura's heart broke for Wanda as her hesitance to be alone with Laura suddenly became clear in a new light._

"_Wanda honey, we're not going to make you leave just because you might do something we don't like," Laura said as she walked over to Wanda's bed, sitting down on the side. "I know you've been alone for a while, but you're not anymore. And I'm not sure what will happen, but you will always have a home here, okay?"_

_Wanda just stared up at her, a mix of a longing to believe her and the skepticism of a hard life on her face. Then, Wanda let out a big yawn._

"_It's late, we should go back to sleep," Laura said with a warm smile._

"_You stay until I fall sleep?" Wanda asked shyly._

_Laura smiled, glad that, at least, this seemed to finally make Wanda get over her hesitance about being alone with Laura. It was a break through, albeit a small one but Laura would take it._

"_Of course," Laura promised, taking her hand._

_Wanda nodded, lying back down as her eyes closed; already drifting off to sleep before her head hit the pillow. Laura wasn't sure what her nightmare was about, but she hoped now Wanda would have sweet dreams._

Now

Since then, Wanda had been much more open with her, not as afraid after Laura's assurances. Laura was no fool; she knew it would take time for Wanda to fully trust her. But she knew that Wanda needed a stable life, as Ororo had said.

"I'd say that Wanda does need stability. If we do this, you know we can't take it back," Laura warned him.

"But you'd be okay with it?" Clint asked.

"I think Wanda is a ten year old girl who has lost everything. She needs something permanent in her life, something normal. And I think with us, she'll be able to have a somewhat normal life," Laura said as she looked at her husband. "As close as she can have anyway."

"Me to. So…we're really doing this?" Clint asked.

"We're doing this," Laura agreed and Clint let out a breath.

"Well, Fury is a gonna love this," Clint said dryly.

**So, Clint and Laura have officially decided to take responsibility for Wanda. But that's easier said than done.**


	7. Fury's deal

**Sorry it's been a bit since I updated. And I know I promised this would be a long chapter and it's not, but the chapter does get the plot moving a bit and sets up something I'm really excited for and something I hope you guys will enjoy. For now, I hope you guys enjoy this.**

The Triskelion

Morning

Clint got off the Quinjet and walked into the hanger. Most would feel tired after the flight, but Clint was not most people. And he was too filled with resolve ad nerves to be tired.

"Clint," Coulson said as he greeted him.

"Hey Phil," Clint said warmly as the pair began walking out of the hanger. "How are things?"

"Same as usual," Coulson said and Clint nodded.

"That bad huh?" Clint asked dryly and Coulson chuckled.

"Not bad, just average. Although I did see May," Coulson said and Clint looked at him sharply.

"You saw May?" Clint asked shocked.

"I had to head to administration, saw her there," Coulson mentioned and Clint nodded.

"How is she?" Clint asked and Coulson grimaced.

"About the same," Coulson said and Clint nodded sadly.

"Well, Fury's expecting me. Better not keep him waiting before his eye comes after me," Clint joked.

Coulson laughed as Clint walked off. It was a joke among the higher ranked operatives that Fury's eye had a mind of its own, given how Fury seemed to know almost everything that went on in SHIELD.

As he reached Fury's office, Clint suddenly wished that Natasha hadn't been sent on the mission to Russia. He wasn't afraid of Fury, but this was not going to be a pleasant conversation. He could've used Nat's support, but knew that her past in Russia made her a good leader for this particular mission. He would just have to stomach this one alone.

Clint entered Fury's office to see his boss was at his desk, going over some files on the holographic screen. Seeing Clint enter the room, Fury waved his hand and the screen disappeared.

"Barton," Fury said as he turned around to face him.

"Fury," Clint greeted.

"So, how's the girl?" Fury said, getting right down to business.

"Good, she's good. It was rough at first, but I think we won her over. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," Clint said, trying to get out the words.

"You want to take the girl in, permanently," Fury said, smirking at the look of astonishment that crossed Clint's face. "I knew, even if you didn't. That you'd never let the girl go the moment you decided to take her home. And your wife's too motherly to let a child be bounced around SHIELD."

"Wow. Well, that makes this easier," Clint said as the shock wore off. "We want Wanda to stay with us. We both know you can make that happen."

"I can," Fury agreed and Clint sensed there was a 'but'.

"Come on Fury, what do you want?" Clint demanded, knowing there was a catch.

"I'll keep the girl off the Index; I'll have adaptation papers drawn up. As far as the world would be concerned, she would just be another foreign adopted child from a kind hearted woman. On one condition," Fury said, walking over to his desk.

Fury brought up a picture of a man in a suit on a holographic screen. Clint vaguely recognized him as William Stryker, a covert military Ops specialist.

"You recognize him," Fury said and Clint nodded. "Good, then I don't have to explain who this is."

"I'm curious why you want me to cross off a military specialist," Clint said and Fury smiled tightly.

"Because that's only his public face. Underneath, he's a sick son of a bitch. He abducts powered people, does experiments on them. His son was one, he had him lobotomized," Fury paused. "He's trying to weaponize the X gene, playing god."

Clint stared at Stryker, horror and hate swelling up in him. He thought of his own son, almost a year old. And Wanda, if Stryker had found her instead of him…

"When and where?" Clint asked in an extremely calm voice that Fury knew meant Clint was already planning on how he was going to kill Stryker.

"He'll be in Tokyo in three days. Apparently, he's meeting with a business tycoon, Shingen Yashida, about a military project," Fury said.

"And you think Yashida is meeting with Stryker for his experimentation on powered people," Clint noted and Fury nodded.

"You're right; I want you to kill him. Stryker is a psychopath and he needs to be stopped. But this mission is too delicate to send in a team. It can only be done by one person. If I'd known we'd get this chance, I'd have sent someone besides Romanoff to Russia and given her this mission," Fury said.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Fury," Clint said sarcastically and Fury sighed.

"You know what I mean. Romanoff is probably the best we have," Fury said and Clint nodded, knowing it was true. "With her occupied, I'm sending my second best. You. And in return, I'll make some calls to get everything ready for you and Laura to adopt the girl."

Barton Farm

Later in the morning

Laura smiled from the kitchen as she was putting away dishes. Cooper was in his play pen, laughing as Wanda used her powers to make his toys, a stuffed horse and dog, dance and move around him. Since Ororo's lessons had begun, Wanda had grown more comfortable using her powers, even using them to entertain Cooper. Laura's thought process was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"Hello?" Laura asked as she answered.

"Hey," Clint said in greeting and she smiled.

"So how'd it go?" Laura asked, taking the phone away from the living room and further into the kitchen so Wanda wouldn't hear.

"Better than I expected, a lot better. Fury already knew what I was going to ask. He agreed, he's gonna call in some favors, speed along the adoption process," Clint told her.

"Just like that?" Laura asked surprised.

"No, not just that," Clint said with a sigh. "I have to head to Tokyo first."

"Why?" Laura demanded, sensing he was holding something.

"I have to deal with a psychopath," Clint said and Laura was surprised by the cold rage that entered his voice.

"Clint, what's going on?" Laura asked concerned.

"You don't want to know. Just trust me when I say, for once, I'm looking forward to this assignment," Clint said before he hung up.

Laura stared down at the phone in her hand, concern for her husband entering her heart. Whoever he was going after must have done something to piss Clint off, Laura mused.

Laura hung the phone up and walked back into the living room to spend time with her son and the girl that, if everything went according to plan, would soon be her daughter, on paper at least.

Canada

Same time

In a secret military base, there were screams and the sound of gunfire as a man with wild hair and three metal claws emerging from each hand rushed them with a snarl. To their terror, the bullets only seemed to make him angry. With a growl, he cut their guns into pieces with his claws before stabbing them or slashing them. Within seconds, all but one were dead. Before the terrified man could do anything, Logan had grabbed the man and slammed him against the wall, his claws at the man's throat.

"Please don't kill me!" the man begged.

"Then tell me where Stryker is," Logan sneered.

"I don't know, I swear!" the man said fearfully and Logan sniffed him.

"But you know something," Logan said, getting in his face. "Tell me Bub. Before I really get angry."

"I don't know where he is, but I know where he will be," the man said fearfully. "In three days, Stryker is going to meet in Tokyo with some big business man, Yashida I think."

Having what he needed, Logan dropped the man to the ground and began walking off, retracting his claws. He'd have to tell Chuck he was going on a trip to Japan.

**For those of you who don't watch Agents of SHIELD, May is Melinda May, an old friend o Coulson's. I think it's likely they all crossed paths at some point in SHIELD.**

**Clint is going after Stryker and so is Logan. And yes, this is going to result in a Hawkeye/Wolverine team up, which I hope you guys are as excited about as I am. **


End file.
